Here's Why the MVC Stinks Right Now

by **DoubleJayAlum** » March 28th, 2011, 8:11 am

Here's the link to the CollegeHoops.net all-american list for high mid-majors: http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/2011-collegehoopsnet-high-major-all-americans-169240

We have only one player on the the four teams listed.

The issue isn't scheduling guys. The issue is that we just don't have players that are as good as those from 4 to 5 years ago.

**Sponsor**

by **tribecalledquest** » March 28th, 2011, 8:40 am

Very good point. This league needs to get better players--period.

by **bigdawg** » March 28th, 2011, 8:41 am

Our best players are young. If the schools can maintain their coaches the future is much better than the present.

by **snoopj** » March 28th, 2011, 9:01 am

I think it's a combination of things...

It is one part scheduling....face it, after the 2005-2006 dream season, there was a lot of schools that sold out SoS for easy W's in the non-con. When you see quotes by coaches saying that they fill their arenas because they can get 20+ wins a season when very few outside of the conference have a lot of substance to them. Give me a 22-11 record versus quality opponents versus a 29-3 record against substandard opponents.

Coaching turnover....why would quality recruits want to come to a school in which the coach has been rumored for a couple of seasons to be a hot commodity to those willing to pay much much more out of desperation? I think you can see that in leagues around our level, they hit their strides when the coaches stick around. To my knowledge, there hasn't been a ton of turnover in the CAA recently and look what they've been able to accomplish.

There's probably a multitude of other reasons that chip away the reason of the reason why the MVC has fallen off, but if you ask me, those are the top two of the iceberg.

by **DoubleJayAlum** » March 28th, 2011, 9:27 am

snoopj wrote:To my knowledge, there hasn't been a ton of turnover in the CAA recently and look what they've been able to accomplish.

Shaka Smart was hired in the spring of 2009. Grant, who was the previous coach, is now at Alabama.

Yes, there has been coaching turnover, but that is true throughout the midmajors.

The problem is that we haven't had a lot of talent.

by **TylerDurden** » March 28th, 2011, 9:34 am

DoubleJayAlum wrote:
snoopj wrote:To my knowledge, there hasn't been a ton of turnover in the CAA recently and look what they've been able to accomplish.

Shaka Smart was hired in the spring of 2009. Grant, who was the previous coach, is now at Alabama.

Yes, there has been coaching turnover, but that is true throughout the midmajors.

The problem is that we haven't had a lot of talent.

Coaches recruit the talent. That reflects directly upon leadership turnover, coaches and ADs.

by **bigdawg** » March 28th, 2011, 9:41 am

At the mud major level, a single recruit can change a program. See Odum, McDermott.

by **snoopj** » March 28th, 2011, 9:44 am

DoubleJayAlum wrote:
snoopj wrote:To my knowledge, there hasn't been a ton of turnover in the CAA recently and look what they've been able to accomplish.

Shaka Smart was hired in the spring of 2009. Grant, who was the previous coach, is now at Alabama.

Yes, there has been coaching turnover, but that is true throughout the midmajors.

The problem is that we haven't had a lot of talent.

I guess you could argue that to some degree. I can also argue that some of our coaches never panned out with a supposed golden road ahead of them. See Lowery and his stellar, at least on paper, recruiting class. SIU hasn't exactly taken the Valley by storm since they handed the reigns to one of the power teams (at the time) schools that was helping put the Valley back on the map.

I do also think it's hard to recruit when you get to load your schedule up with creampuffs as "confidence builders". Showcase your talents against the likes of SIU-Edwardsville.

I also think Elgin shouldn't have removed the incentive pool he had around the dream season of 2005-06. The CAA has theirs and it's showing that it can still be successful. Then again, I guess you still have to sell season ticket packages and get people into your own arena to make money too. If the majors don't want to play on your court, then you got to take what you can. Economics tend to give me nose bleeds. Ugh.